I am on my mountain in a tree home that people have passed without ever knowing I am here. The house is a hemlock tree six feet in diameter, and must be as old as the mountain itself. I came upon it last summer and dug and burned it out until I made a snug cave in the tree I now call home. (from the first line)

A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship. *Author: George, Jean Craighead *Publication Date: 2005/03/23 *Number of Pages: 209 *Binding Type: Paperback *Language: English *Depth: 0.75 *Width: 5.50 *Height: 8.25

Annotation:Tired of living in a cramped New York City apartment, teenaged Sam Gribley takes an ax, a penknife, a ball of cord, $40, and pieces of steel and flint with him to the Catskill Mountains where he attempts to live off the land. In order to survive in the wilderness, Sam must depend not only on his knowledge of nature but also on his own ingenuity and wits. He many be able to survive, but can Sam manage enjoy his life completely cut off from human contact?

Author Bio

Jean Craighead George

Born into a family of naturalists, Jean Craighead George has said that her writing, which often focuses on environmental themes, continues the "family business." She graduated from Penn State University in 1941 and then worked as a member of the White House Press corps and as a reporter for "The Washington Post." Her first book, VULPES THE RED FOX (1948), was written in conjunction with her then-husband, John George. The couple had three children together, but divorced in 1964. Her first novel for children, MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, was published in 1959 and was named a Newbery Honor Book. JULIE OF THE WOLVES received the 1973 Newbery Medal. Jean Craighead George has proudly claimed to have kept over 173 pets--not counting cats and dogs. Many of the animals that she cared for have become characters in her books.